Explore the Interior of a New Cadillac Escalade's 6.2L V8 Engine That Malfunctioned After Just 4 Miles.

      Dave's Auto Center on YouTube

      Another 6.2-liter GM V8 has met an untimely end, failing after just four miles on the odometer. In this teardown from Dave’s Auto Center, we get a glimpse of a newly manufactured L87 V8 as they dismantle it for their YouTube channel, clearly eager to uncover the reasons behind the failure of an engine that has seen minimal use since it was produced.

      This L87 arrived at Dave’s Auto Center via a GM buyback. It briefly powered a 2023 Cadillac Escalade, the same vehicle that left our informant stranded at Chey Cab, but in contrast to that case, this engine's failure doesn't seem to stem from lifter issues. Instead, the technicians' notes suggest that the L87's downfall was due to a connecting rod failure—a diagnosis confirmed early in the disassembly when a fragment of it falls loose during the removal of the main harmonic balancer.

      Connecting rod failures are frequently mentioned by consumers who have reported premature failures of their GM V8 engines to NHTSA. In this instance, the prevailing view is that the rod failed because of a poorly installed wrist pin—essentially, an assembly defect of significant concern that escaped detection during quality inspections. Additionally, the teardown reveals the push rods (which show no major damage) and the lifters (which again appear to be in good condition).

      Regardless of the root cause, this engine was part of a 2023 Escalade that GM repurchased, contributing to GM’s ongoing repair backlog that has left Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac owners across the nation without their vehicles. Many of these engines are from relatively new models and are still under warranty; however, customers find themselves dependent on a replacement pipeline that has been empty for months, and owners and dealers are competing for the limited number of complete engines still available. GM is informing customers that the 2025 models will come equipped with a "new engine assembly" and should not face the same problems.

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